Package and storage unit for digital information storage media

• US 5,730,283 A
• Filed: 03/15/1996
• Issued: 03/24/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autronic Plastics, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Autronic Plastics, Inc.
• Inventors: Lax, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Foster, Jimmy G.
• Application Number:
  US08/616,924
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 206/303, 206/307, 206/309, 206/310, 206/312, 206/313, 206/308.1, 206/308.2, 206/308.3, 206/387.12, 312/9.9, 312/9.11, 312/9.29, 312/9.41, 312/9.47, 312/9.48, 312/9.53, 312/9.54, 312/9.56, 312/9.57
• US Class Current: 206/308.1
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 73/0023 Containers, boxes, cases or the like, e.g. for compact discs or video-cassettes, specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 33/0422 for discs without cartridge

Abstract

A package and storage unit includes a tray slidable within an endoskeleton/exoskeleton frame. The edge of each surface of the endoskeleton/exoskeleton frame includes a cavity/recess and protrusions to hold a wrapped paperboard with graphics to be wrapped around the frame. Slots on three edges of the rear of the frame receive a folded rear portion of the paperboard. The tray includes a spring with a ledge and two protrusions to securely hold and easily remove the disk from the tray. In an alternative embodiment, the frame includes a pair of parallel pushers, and the tray includes a pair of guides. The arrangement of the pair of pushers and guides is used to securely hold and easily remove the disk from the tray. Both the frame and tray include contour portions to latch the tray in an open or closed position in the frame. A locking mechanism has a housing with parallel flanges to overlie a portion of the faces and a side of the frame and to prevent the tray from being withdrawn from the frame. One end of the locking mechanism is fixed and the other movable between open and closed positions, and a mechanism in the housing retains the movable end of the locking mechanism closed. A decoupler is provided for opening the locking mechanism.

Claims

1. A frame having an open front for receiving a tray holding an information storage disk, the frame being capable of being wrapped by a paperboard, comprising:

first and second main faces;

first and second lateral sides connecting said first and second main faces;

a rear end opposing the open front, and connecting said first and second main faces and the first and second lateral sides;

a slot in at least one of the first and second main faces configured to engage a raised contour of the tray, the raised contour of the tray to be slidable in said slot; and

a paperboard holding arrangement such that the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame is secured thereto without adhesive, the paper holding arrangement being laterally outer and along at least one of the first and second lateral sides.

2. The frame of claim 1, wherein, said paperboard holding arrangement includes

a channel recess to receive an edge of the paperboard folded generally normal to the first and second main faces of the frame, and

at least one protrusion in the channel recess configured to retain a portion of the edge of the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame to secure the paperboard to the frame without adhesive.

3. The frame of claim 1, wherein said rear end includes a slot to receive an edge of the paperboard.

4. The frame of claim 1, further comprising:

a coupling element in each of the first and second lateral sides of the frame positioned near the open front end for receiving a removable locking mechanism for securing the tray in the frame.

5. The frame of claim 1, wherein at least one of said first and second main faces comprises a plurality of interconnected portions in a predetermined pattern to form an endoskeleton/exoskeleton.

6. The frame of claim 1, wherein said paperboard holding arrangement comprises upper and lower recesses each receiving an edge of the paperboard folded generally normal to the first and second main faces of the frame.

7. The frame of claim 6, wherein each of the upper and lower recesses of said paperboard holding arrangement further comprises at least one protrusion to hold the folded edge of the paperboard in said recess.

8. The frame of claim 7, wherein each said at least one protrusion is formed near an upper end of said recess.

9. The frame of claim 1, further comprising parallel rails on interior surfaces of each of said first and second lateral sides for guiding the tray for holding the information disk into an interior of the frame.

10. The frame of claim 1, wherein each end of said slot includes a latch to secure the tray in an open or closed position within the frame.

11. The frame of claim 10, wherein said latch comprises an inverse contour of said raised contour.

12. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame capable of being wrapped by a paperboard including

i) first and second faces,

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces,

iii) a paperboard holding arrangement such that the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame is secured thereto without adhesive,

iv) a slot in at least one of the first and second faces; and

b) a tray including

i) first and second surfaces, said first surface of said tray having a recess to seat the ISM, and

ii) a raised contour on at least one of the first and second surfaces, wherein

said raised contour on the tray engages the slot in the frame enabling the tray to be slidable within said frame, and

each end of said slot includes a latch to secure the tray in an open or closed position within the unit.

13. The unit of claim 12, wherein said latch comprises an inverse contour of said raised contour.

14. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame capable of being wrapped by a paperboard including

i) first and second faces,

iii) a paperboard holding arrangement configured to secure the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame; and

b) a tray slidable in said frame, said tray having first and second surfaces with said first surface of said tray having a recess to seat the ISM, wherein

said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion, and

said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and further comprises a guide located on said first surface near the rear portion of said tray, said pusher member being slidable within said guide when said tray is inserted in said frame from an open position to a closed position or when said tray is pulled out of said frame from the closed position to the open position.

15. The unit of claim 14, wherein said recess of said tray comprises a lower leveled surface surrounded by an angled wall with a shelf formed between an edge of the recess and the angled wall, a peripheral portion of the ISM seated in the recess resting on said shelf reducing the surface area of the ISM in contact with the tray.

16. The unit of claim 15, wherein said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and said tray further comprises a protrusion at the periphery of said recess near the front portion of said tray, said protrusion protruding into said recess and being formed above said leveled surface such that the ISM is held between said protrusion and leveled surface when said tray is in a closed position within said frame.

17. The unit of claim 16, wherein said pusher member gradually pushes the ISM resting on said leveled surface of the recess towards the front portion of said tray when the tray is inserted into said frame from an open position to a closed position.

18. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame capable of being wrapped by a paperboard including

i) first and second faces,

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces, and

iii) a paperboard holding arrangement configured to secure the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame; and

b) a tray slidable in said frame, said tray having first and second surfaces with said first surface of said tray having a recess to-seat the ISM, wherein

said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the portion,

said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and

said pusher member has a front portion and rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and comprises surfaces in the front portion, sized and shaped to engage and push the ISM seated in the recess of the tray towards the front portion of the tray when the tray is inserted in said frame from an open position to a closed position.

19. The unit of claim 18, wherein the surfaces in the front portion of the pusher member are generally V-shape.

20. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame capable of being wrapped by a paperboard including

i) first and second faces,

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces, and

iii) a paperboard holding arrangement configured to secure the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame; and

b) a tray slidable in said frame, said tray having first and second surfaces with said first surface of said tray having a recess to seat the ISM, wherein

said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion, and

said pusher member comprises an angled surface near a front portion of said pusher member, a first leveled surface at one end of said angled surface, and a wall perpendicular to said leveled surface at an end of said level surface opposite from the end of said angled surface.

21. The unit of claim 20, wherein said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and said pusher member gradually pushes the ISM seated in the recess towards the front portion of said tray when the tray is inserted into said frame from an open position to a closed position.

22. The unit of claim 20, wherein said pusher member further comprises a second leveled surface parallel to said first leveled surface such that the ISM is held between the first and second leveled surfaces when the tray is in a closed position within said frame.

23. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM) having upper and lower surfaces, comprising:

a) a frame having

i) first and second faces,

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces, and

iii) a pusher member on said first face, and

b) a tray, slidable in said frame, having a recess to seat the ISM, and a guide, wherein

said pusher member on the first face of said frame is slidable in said guide of said tray and prevents the ISM from moving in said recess when said tray is in a closed position within said frame.

24. The unit of claim 23, wherein said pusher member comprises an angled surface near a front portion of said pusher member, a first leveled surface at one end of said angled surface, and a wall perpendicular to said leveled surface at an end of said leveled surface opposite from the end of said angled surface.

25. The unit of claim 24, wherein said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and said pusher member gradually pushes the ISM towards the front portion of said tray when the tray is inserted into said frame from an open position to the closed position.

26. The unit of claim 24, wherein said first leveled surface and said wall form a ledge to hold the ISM seated in the recess when the tray is in the closed position within said frame.

27. The unit of claim 24, wherein said pusher member further comprises a second leveled surface parallel to said first surface such that the ISM is held between the first and second leveled surfaces when said tray is in the closed position within said frame.

28. The unit of claim 23, wherein said recess of said tray comprises a lower surrounded by an angled wall with a shelf formed between an edge of the recess and the angled wall, a peripheral portion of the ISM seated in the recess resting on said shelf reducing the surface area of the ISM in contact with the tray.

29. The unit of claim 28, wherein said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and said tray further comprises a protrusion at the periphery of said recess near the front portion of said tray, said protrusion protruding into said recess and being formed above said leveled surface such that the ISM seated in the tray is held between said protrusion and leveled surface when to said tray is in the closed position within said frame.

30. The unit of claim 28, wherein said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and said pusher member gradually pushes the ISM resting on the leveled surface of the recess towards the front portion of said tray when the tray is inserted into said frame from an open position to the closed position.

31. A system for preventing theft of an information storage media (ISM), comprising:

a) a case including a frame wrapped with a paperboard and a tray with a recess to seat said ISM, said tray being slidable in said frame to a closed position within said frame; and

b) a locking mechanism having

1) a housing having a main surface,

2) two generally parallel flanges extending from the main surface of the housing to overlie portions of the case,

3) a fixed coupling element at one end of the housing for releasably engaging a first coupling region of the case; and

4) a movable coupling element at the other end of the housing for engaging a second coupling region of the case, wherein

with the two generally parallel flanges positioned to overlie portions of the case and the fixed coupling element engaging a first coupling region of the case, the movable coupling element

i) engages a second coupling region of the case when the movable coupling element is in a closed position, and

(ii) separates from the other end of the housing to decouple from the second coupling region on the case when the movable coupling element is in an open position allowing the locking mechanism to become fully separated from the case.

32. The system of claim 31, further including a decoupler for enabling the movable coupling element to move from the closed position to the open position.

33. A tray for holding a disk and being slidable on guide rails and at least one slot of a frame, comprising:

first and second main surfaces, at least one of the first and second main surfaces having a raised contour configured to engage the at least one slot of the frame, the raised contour being appropriately dimensioned to be slidable in said at least one slot of the frame;

sidewall surfaces at a periphery of the first and second main surfaces;

a recess in said first main surface forming a seat for the disk; and

a spring having only one end attached to the tray near a periphery of said recess with an outer peripheral surface of the spring formed in an arcuate contour in a direction protruding into the recess of said tray, said outer peripheral surface of the spring including a ledge to engage a peripheral portion of the disk.

34. The tray of claim 33, wherein said tray is made of an injection molded plastic material.

35. The tray of claim 33, wherein said tray includes a first cutout region in the recess and a second cutout region at a peripheral region of said recess opposite said spring for user to insert or remove the disk from the tray.

36. The tray of claim 33, wherein said outer peripheral surface of the spring formed in an arcuate contour applies a biasing force toward the center if the recess when the disk is inserted into the recess engaging the ledge.

37. The tray of claim 33, further comprising at least one protrusion formed at a peripheral region of said recess to hold the disk.

38. The tray of claim 37, wherein said protrusion has an angled bevelled surface to facilitate at least one of insertion and removal of the disk by a user.

39. The tray of claim 33, wherein said raised contour includes thick and thin portions and said at least one slot has an inverse contour at each end, said raised contour being engageable with the inverse contour at each end of said at least one slot to latch the tray in an open or closed position within the frame.

40. The tray of claim 33, wherein said raised contour is integral with the tray.

41. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame having an open front and capable of being wrapped by a paperboard, including

first and second main faces,

first and second lateral sides connecting said first and second main faces,

a rear end opposing the open front, and connecting said first and second main faces and the first and second lateral sides,

a slot in at least one of the first and second main faces,

a channel recess formed laterally outer and along at least one of the first and second lateral sides to receive and retain an edge of the paperboard folded generally normal to the first and second main faces of the frame, and

at least one protrusion in the channel recess configured to retain a portion of the edge of the paperboard wrapped on exterior surfaces of the first and second faces and first side of the frame to secure the paperboard to the frame without adhesive; and

b) a tray for holding the ISM, including

first and second main surfaces with sidewall surfaces at a periphery of the first and second main surfaces, at least one of the first and second main surfaces having a raised contour engaging the slot in the at least one of the first and second main faces of the frame, the raised contour being appropriately dimensioned to be slidable in said slot of the frame; and

a recess in said first main surface forming a seat for the ISM.

42. The unit of claim 41, wherein said tray further comprises a spring having an outer peripheral surface formed in contour to receive a peripheral portion of the ISM such that said contour partially overlaps the upper surface of the ISM.

43. The unit of claim 42, wherein said tray further includes a first cutout region in the recess and a second cutout region at a peripheral region of said recess opposite said spring for a user to insert or remove the ISM from the tray.

44. The unit of claim 42, wherein said outer peripheral surface of said spring if formed in an arcuate contour in a direction protruding into the recess of said tray.

45. The unit of claim 44, wherein said outer peripheral surface of the spring includes a ledge to engage a peripheral portion of the ISM.

46. The unit of claim 44, wherein said outer peripheral surface of the spring formed in said arcuate contour applies a biasing force toward the center of the recess when the ISM is inserted into the recess.

47. The unit of claim 42, wherein said spring is injection molded with said tray, and only one end of said spring is attached to said tray.

48. The unit of claim 41, further comprising at least one protrusion at a peripheral region of said recess to hold the ISM.

49. The unit of claim 48, wherein said protrusion has an angled bevelled surface to facilitate at least one of insertion and removal of the ISM by a user.

50. The unit of claim 41, wherein said raised contour includes thick and thin portions.

51. The unit of claim 41, wherein said raised contour is integral with the tray.

52. The unit of claim 41, further comprising a slot formed outer said rear end of the frame to receive an edge of the paperboard folded generally normal to the first and second main faces of the frame.

53. The unit of claim 41, wherein at least one of said first and second faces comprises a plurality of interconnected portions to form an endoskeleton/exoskeleton.

54. The unit of claim 41, wherein said at least one protrusion is formed near an upper end of said channel recess.

55. The unit of claim 41, further comprising parallel rails on interior surfaces of each of said first and second lateral sides of the frame.

56. The unit of claim 41, wherein said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion.

57. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame including

i) first and second faces, and

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces; and

b) a tray slidable in said frame, said tray having first and second surfaces with said first surface of said tray having a recess to seat the ISM, wherein

said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion, and

said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and further comprises a guide located on said first surface near the rear portion of said tray, said pusher member being slidable within said guide when said tray is inserted in said frame from an open position to a closed position or when said tray is pulled out of said frame from the closed position to the open position, wherein

said tray further comprises a protrusion at the periphery of said recess near the front portion of said tray, said protrusion protruding into said recess and being formed above said level surface such that the ISM is held between said protrusion and level surface when said tray is in a closed position within said frame, and

said pusher member gradually pushes the ISM resting on said level surface of the recess towards the front portion of said tray when the tray is inserted into said frame from an open position to a closed position.

58. The unit of claim 57, wherein said recess of said tray comprises a well surrounded by an angled wall with a level surface formed between an edge of the recess and the angled wall, a peripheral portion of the ISM seated in the recess resting on said level surface reducing the surface area of the ISM in contact with the tray.

59. The unit of claim 57, wherein the pusher member includes a generally v-shaped portion to receive and push the ISM.

60. The unit of claim 57, wherein the unit includes a locking arrangement to lock the tray into an open and closed position.

61. The unit of claim 60, wherein the locking arrangement includes a post fixed to the tray and a guide formed within the frame, the post being slidable within the guide when the tray is slid into and out of the housing.

62. The unit of claim 61, wherein the guide includes spaced end portions to receive and hold the post when the tray is slid into the open and closed positions.

63. The unit of claim 57, wherein the housing includes first and second opposing faces and a side connecting the faces, the faces and side capable of being covered by a paperboard.

64. The unit of claim 63, wherein the frame includes a channel to receive the paperboard.

65. The unit of claim 64, wherein the channel includes a protrusion to secure at least an edge portion of the paperboard in the channel.

66. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame including

i) first and second faces, and

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces; and

b) a tray slidable in said frame, said tray having first and second surfaces with said first surface of said tray having a recess to seat the ISM, wherein

said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion,

said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and

said pusher member has a front portion and rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, said pusher member comprising surfaces in the front portion, sized and shaped to engage and push the ISM seated in the recess of the tray towards the front portion of the tray when the tray is inserted in said frame from an open position to a closed position, wherein

the surfaces in the front portion of the pusher member are generally V-shape.

67. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame including

i) first and second faces, and

ii) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces; and

b) a tray slidable in said frame, said tray having first and second surfaces with said first surface of said tray having a recess to seat the ISM, wherein

said frame has a front portion and a rear portion, and further comprises a pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion, and

said pusher member comprises an angled surface near a front portion of said pusher member, a first leveled surface at one end of said angled surface, and a wall perpendicular to said leveled surface at an end of said level surface opposite from the end of said angled surface.

68. The unit of claim 67, wherein said tray has a front portion and a rear portion conforming to the front and rear portions of the frame, and said pusher member gradually pushes the ISM seated in the recess towards the front portion of said tray when the tray is inserted into said frame from an open position to a closed position.

69. The unit of claim 67, wherein said pusher member further comprises a second leveled surface parallel to said first leveled surface such that the ISM is held between the first and second leveled surfaces when the tray is in a closed position within said frame.

70. A unit for packaging and storing an information storage medium (ISM), comprising:

a) a frame defining a storage space, including

i) an open front end,

ii) a rear end opposing the open front end,

iii) first and second faces,

iv) first and second sides connecting said first and second faces, and the open front end and read end, and

v) a non-resilient pusher member located on an interior surface of said frame near the rear portion; and

b) a tray slidable into and out of the storage space of said frame through the open front end, said tray having a main upper surface with a recess to seat the ISM, a surface area of the recess being greater than a surface area of the ISM,

said non-resilient pusher member having surfaces sized and shaped to engage and hold the ISM while pushing the ISM against an end of the recess of the tray when the tray is inserted into the storage space of the frame from an open position to a closed position, wherein

said non-resilient pusher member comprises an angled surface near a front portion of said non-resilient pusher member, a first leveled surface at one end of said angled surface, and a wall perpendicular to said leveled surface at an end of said level surface opposite from the end of said angled surface.